


A Series of Prompto Lying to Avoid Talking about His Missing Parents

by littlemiss_m



Series: people talk about things in this (but not prompto because he's a dumbass) [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Child Abandonment, Child Neglect, Competent Prompto Argentum, Gen, House Fires, Mentions of people dying in fire, Minor Injuries, Mother Hen Ignis, Prompto Argentum Needs a Hug, Refugees and Immigrants Sticking Together, and i needed him to be a responsible reasonable adult, ignis is an adult this because child labor is icky, who wants to yell at prompto for being a dummy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-25
Updated: 2018-05-31
Packaged: 2019-05-13 17:45:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14753435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlemiss_m/pseuds/littlemiss_m
Summary: Prompto gets caught in a house fire. Does he tell his friends? Pfft, of course not!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This expands on chapter 3 of my previously posted fic "Four Times Regis and Ignis Talked about Prompto, and the Time Regis Finally Got to Meet Prompto" but no previous knowledge is required.
> 
> Prompto is fifteen years old in this. According to canon, Ignis would be 17, but I didn't really like that so lets all collectively pretend he's already 18 or 19 years old :) Otherwise him lecturing Prompto in the last chapters would be really hypocritical of him lmao.
> 
> Please enjoy! <3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Ignis finds a shaken Prompto doing laundry in Noctis' apartment at half past four in the morning.

Being Noctis' advisor was not a job; it was a vocation, an all-consuming duty knowing no boundaries. As much as Ignis took pride in his position, there were downsides to the matter not even he could deny, and the long hours of servitude leaving little time for personal matters certainly topped his list of complaints. There was no way to sugarcoat things when six hours of sleep was a luxury rather than a necessity, or when the difference between on-the-clock and off-the-clock activities was a line so thin it was invisible to the naked eye. Still, as much as he cursed the Astrals at every shrill ring of his alarm clock, Ignis could not deny his satisfaction.

As the time approaced half past four in the morning, Ignis made his way up to Noctis' apartment to get the teenager ready for the day. It was early, still, but after spending almost a full school year learning and evolving, he had come to understand it was far easier for him to eat his breakfast at the apartment than his own place. Mornings like these were the easiest ones, everything a routine deeply ingrained into Ignis' memory, with very little room for deviation – or so Ignis thought, until he spotted Prompto's trainers sitting by the entrance.

The sight of the shoes brought Ignis to a confused halt. The blond teenager hadn't been at the apartment the previous night – he'd visited after school, leaving before dinner – and his sudden presence brought several possibilities to Ignis' mind, not all of them positive. Cautious, Ignis stepped out of his own shoes and further into the apartment, following a thin beam of light towards the laundry room door left ever-so-slightly ajar. That was not Noctis' doing, Ignis was sure, since the boy very rarely – if ever – felt the need to visit said room, but especially as he'd been taught from a young age to always close all doors behind him.

Whatever Ignis expected, it was not the sight of Prompto standing next to the ironing board, wearing Noctis' clothes, while the laundry machine rocked in its spot under the dryer. ”Prompto?” he queried, his brows furrowing together in honest bewilderment. ”What on _Eos_ are you doing?”

Prompto startled, apparently only now noticing Ignis' presence, and almost dropped the hot iron. ”Ignis!” he squaked, fumbling to set the iron down on the board. ”Um, this is, this is – I swear I can explain!”

He looked oddly gaunt under the harsh lights of the laundry room, Ignis realized suddenly; he was pale, almost ashen, and there were dark circles under his usually bright eyes. ”Are you okay?” Ignis asked, stepping further into the room. ”Has something happened? Where–”

”Noct's asleep in his bed,” Prompto cut in, wringing his hands anxiously. ”He didn't wake up when I had to take a shower, or when I looked through his closets for clothes to borrow.”

”I see,” Ignis said, though in reality he was only growing more and more confused and worried as he listened to Prompto speak. ”And what about you?”

Prompto continued to twist his hands as he leaned to tug the iron's electric cord out of the wall socket. As he moved, Ignis glanced around the room, taking in the white uniform shirts – in plural – ironed and folded into a neat pile on the counter, and the laundry machine was filled with black fabrics, likely the rest of the uniform.

”Um, there was a small fire at my place,” Prompto mumbled, looking up at Ignis nervously. ”There was a lot of smoke and the firefighters didn't let us back in, except to grab some stuff, and, um, my clothes smelled really bad so I had to wash them, but they weren't enough for a full load so I thought I'd do some of Noct's laundry too while I was at it–”

 _Sweet Shiva_ , Ignis thought as he raised a hand to silence Prompto before he could talk himself out of breath. ”Are you unhurt?” he asked, quickly assessing the boy before him for signs of visible injuries. Relief flooded his veins when Prompto shook his head. ”That's good. You look quite shaken, though – not that I'm blaming you. It must have been a very scary night for you.”

Prompto shrugged, sniffling a little. It hadn't escaped Ignis' attention that the teen never explained why he showed up at the apartment in the first place instead of staying with his family, but then again said family was often busy at work, so perhaps coming to Noctis was Prompto's only possible course of action. Many other questions buzzed in Ignis's mind – if the apartment complex was still suitable for living, if people had been hurt – but with Prompto on the brink of tears, he pushed those thoughts aside, to be rifled through at a later date.

”I didn't finish my uniform yet,” Prompto murmured, face downturned in a way that had Ignis' heart aching in sympathy. If the second load of laundry was not yet finished, then the boy must have been standing here for some two hours if not more, and Ignis had no idea how long the situation at his house had lasted.

Stepping over to take Prompto by the shoulder, Ignis began to lead him out of the laundry room. ”I'll get it ready for you, if you truly insist on going to school today,” he smiled. ”You've saved me more than a little work, though I do think it'd be best to leave such matters for later in the day from now on.”

Prompto chuckled slightly, bumping his shoulder into Ignis' side. ”S'okay,” he mumbled, ”I like ironing. And doing laundry, 'cause it smells so nice.”

”Mm-hm,” Ignis hummed, letting go of Prompto in favor of pulling a spare blanket and a pillow from a closet. ”I did notice; your skills at ironing are quite remarkable.”

He turned around just in time to see Prompto trying to hide a pleased grin. ”The way the wrinkles disappear is just so _nice_ , and then the fabric is like really soft and I love it” the blond explained, gushing ever-so-slightly. ”Like running your hand through dried lentils, that kind of nice.”

”Say no more,” Ignis chuckled, understanding exactly what the other was trying to say. ”Here, let's get you to bed. I'll wake you up in time for breakfast.”

Like a lightswitch turned on, Prompto's entire demeanor changed from cheery back to anxious. He was obviously shaken over the event of the fire, keyed-up and jittery. ”I don't think I can sleep,” he admitted, refusing to look Ignis in the eye.

”Laying down to rest will leave you feeling much better even if you can't actually fall asleep,” Ignis said, sighing when he saw how little his words did to help.

Prompto didn't resist when Ignis closed the distance between them. His tense body trembled in Ignis' embrace, and there was still a subtle whiff of smoke clinging to his fluffy, product-free hair. It had Ignis wondering just how bad the fire had been, if the smoke had set in so tight, but he also had no reason to disbelief Prompto so once again, he set the thoughts aside in favor of comforting the blond.

”Everything will look better in the morning,” he spoke softly, rubbing his hands up and down Prompto's arms. ”Both Noctis and myself will be right here, and I promise nothing will happen to either of you under my watch.”

Prompto nodded, sniffling wetly, and stepped out of the embrace. Giving his shoulder one last pat, Ignis continued setting up a bed on one of the living room couches. After finishing, he turned to Prompto with a kind smile. ”I'll wake you up when it's time for breakfast,” he said.

”Thanks,” Prompto sighed, laying down on the couch. ”I mean it, Igs. Thanks.”

Ignis smiled. ”It's no problem, Prompto. I'm just happy to hear you're not hurt.”

He waited until Prompto was settled down before heading for the laundry room to see if the second load had finished. He'd have to arrange his schedule a little – he usually did Noctis' laundry on Fridays – but it was neither a big deal or a bother, since a quick look at the ironed uniform shirts was enough to tell Ignis that the quality was up to his expectations.

Breakfast, though, that was another matter, Ignis thought as he crossed the living room as silently as he could. He'd planned on thickly cut bacon and fried eggs in exchange for Noctis's vegetable-heavy lunch, but with Prompto trying to sleep in the next room, such smoky flavors and scents likely weren't a good idea. A quiet cough crept in from the living room and Ignis paused, listening for a moment, but when he heard no other sounds, he went back to scourging the cabinets for an alternative breakfast.

Porridge, perhaps, with cool cream and caramelized fruit on the top... a bit rich for an ordinary school morning, but then again, Prompto certainly more than deserved the extra comfort... Making his decision, Ignis set to preparing the breakfast while he waited for the laundry machine to finish.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Prompto deals with the aftermath of the fire.

Everything looked so different in daylight.

Prompto stood on the street outside his apartment building, staring up at the topmost floors where everything was black and barren. Last night, when he'd left the scene with a bag full of his most important belongings, pillars of smoke against the dark night sky had swallowed the sight and hid it from view; now, under the unforgiving spring sun, everything became real.

Half of the topmost floor was missing completely. Swallowing, Prompto counted the intact floors above his window; one, two, and maybe three, and then the destroyed floor. Though the soot outside the building crept all the way down to his window and further, his apartment had survived and that alone felt like a miracle.

There was one last fire engine on the scene, along with a handful of men in neon vests and white helmets. The entire street was shut off from traffic and though there were plenty of people just milling about, the usual buzz was gone from the air. Only a stilted silence remained, like something dead and decaying.

Prompto spotted one his neighbors talking to one of the men in vests and made his way over, ducking under yellow tape with a glance at his surroundings. The asphalt under his feet was still soaked with black, sooty water.

”Prompto,” his neighbor greeted him, drawing him into the conversation. ”Thank the Astrals you're okay. Did you call your parents yet?”

”Yeah,” Prompto said, nodding at the construction man. ”They got me a hotel for now and they'll be flying back as soon as they can, but, uh, my dad said he'd like to know how bad the damage is so he can, like, start looking at new places if he has to.”

The construction man picked up the bait. ”Which floor are you on?” he asked, handing a small card over. ”Here's some numbers your parents can contact.”

”Thanks. The seventh floor,” Prompto answered, nodding towards the destroyed end of the building. ”On this side, almost directly under the worst of that mess.”

The man whistled. ”Yeah, so from the sounds of it the top two floors are done, but we should be able to keep the rest of the building standing,” he said. ”Construction's gonna take a while, though. Can't say for sure yet but at least a month, though whether or not people can stay here is gonna be determined on individual basis.”

Prompto's stomach dropped as he heard the words and he glanced at his neighbor, silently begging for help. The hand that clapped his shoulder was warm, not exactly familiar but comforting all the same. ”Are we allowed to go in to get some of our things?” he asked.

”We're still determining how far the damages run but unless something big pops up, people from the lower floors should get to go in soon, and then later on the rest of the folks. There's, uh, there's some government worker coming over to help arrange temporary housing for those who need it. Anyways, we're holding a meeting at six, so you should come back then, get more accurate information. Unless there's something you need right now, like medications or important papers or something...?”

Prompto shook his head almost numbly. By his side, his neighbor repeated the motion, saying he had all he needed for now, and after bidding goodbye to the construction man, he began leading Prompto away from the quiet hustle of worried families and helmet-wearing workers.

”Did you actually call your parents?” the neighbor asked once they reached a corner of the street with no-one around to hear them talk.

Snorting, Prompto shook his head and stepped away from the man. ”Nah, no point in trying, I guess,” he said. ”They know how to contact me if they feel the need to.”

Here in the heart of the Niff District, his living situations were far from a secret. Prompto had known what was happening the day his parents – born and bred Lucians from the upper middle classes – took him into the small, one-room apartment in this old, dated neighborhood. The neighbors had known, too, when three people entered the apartment and only two walked out.

That his parents took him to the Niff District instead of leaving him in their dainty little house in the suburbs was the kindest thing they had ever done for him.

”You got a place to go to?” the neighbor asked him next.

”I stayed last night at my best friend's place,” Prompto answered, grimacing a little. ”But I don't think I can stay there more than one night every weekend. Not without – making people suspicious.”

The man clapped his shoulder, smiling. ”Don't worry about it,” he said. ”Word's gone out fast and everyone's really thankful for what you did last night. We'll get you a place to stay until they let us back in, okay? Us Niffs gotta stick together, right, kid?”

A warm flush spread on Prompto's cheeks even as he fought against the memories of the previous night, the smell of burning flesh and the sting of smoke in his eyes. ”Do you know if Nana's okay?” he asked instead. ”She was – really badly off.”

”Aina's at the hospital too, and she says Nana's doing good,” his neighbor smiled down at him. ”Might take a while but she'll be back on her feet yet.”

Prompto nodded, swallowing his tears. Green Nana – nicknamed after the green shawl she wore, to distinguish her from all the other Nanas in the neighborhood – had taken him and so many others under her wing, and seeing her near death had scared him worse than the fire had. In the long hours of the night turning into morning, when Prompto had stood in Noctis' bathroom washing off the soot and the stink of smoke, he had thought of her black-red skin and wondered if he'd even done the right thing in saving her, or if forcing her to live would only bring her more pain and suffering.

”That's good,” he murmured, unable to look up.

His neighbor hummed. ”Have you got somewhere to be? I'm staying with my sister, she won't mind an extra kid for a few hours, until we get more information at least. That sound good for you?”

It did, and so Prompto followed him two blocks away and into an apartment building almost identical to the one he was living in. 

* * *

Later that evening, when dusk was beginning to fall, Prompto walked up staircases gleaming with dirty water, entered his apartment through a door wrenched open. The scene he was faced with was not disastrous, though water had seeped in both underneath the door and through the windows; airing and some serious scrubbing should be enough to clean things up.

Almost on autopilot, Prompto rolled up all the damp rugs and then hung them over the kitchen table and the chairs to dry out. He mopped the remnants of water on the floor and opened the windows wherever he could. There was no electricity in the building and his fridge was no longer running, which meant the chicken legs he'd bought the previous day were no longer edible, so he threw them in the trash. The freezer was thankfully in a better shape, and Prompto loaded all his frozen meals into an old cooler he'd bought due to the frequent blackouts during summer months.

He packed his school books and clothes. He closed the windows and unplugged all electronics. He answered a phone call from his dad and told him everything was under control. He gathered all the bills and his savings and sat down on his bed to cry.

He didn't have to worry about anything, Prompto tried to tell himself. If the construction crew kept to their schedule then he'd have a home to return to in just two weeks. He had a place to stay until then – a single mother of two eight-year olds had offered him a bed in exchange for some babysitting – and really, there was nothing to be crying about, but he just couldn't stop the fat, hot tears rolling down his face and the snot clogging up his nose.

He'd be okay. He'd managed to guide Ignis into believing there was nothing serious going on and the newspapers probably wouldn't cover the incident in detail. The people who knew he'd been abandoned by his parents would continue to keep their mouths shut over the matter and those who didn't know would continue none the wiser.

There was nothing wrong. Still sniffling, Prompto drew in a deep breath and dried his burning eyes. There was nothing wrong.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Ignis finds out the truth of the matter and gets ready to give Prompto the lecture of a lifetime.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This takes place six weeks after the previous chapter, right after the events of Chapter 3 in "Four Times Regis and Ignis Talked about Prompto, and the Time Regis Finally Got to Meet Prompto" :)

To say that Ignis was furious was an understatement. People ducked out of his way when they saw him marching down the corridors with his mouth pinched into a thin line, a small sneer of utter indignation on his face. Even his secretaty knew better than to bother him when he slipped past her desk and into his own office, situated next to what would in a short few years become Noctis' office.

Once in his room, Ignis threw himself down in his desk chair with a groan and just sat still for a moment, hands pressed against his face as he fought to calm himself down. Though he knew that right now, Prompto was at school with Noctis, the news that Regis shared with him had shaken him more than he'd ever like to admit. Sitting up straight, Ignis opened his tabletop calendar and counted days until six weeks earlier, confirming that the dates matched with what he remembered from the dossier.

With a glance at his watch – he still had ample time, good – Ignis set to work. Moogling the fire proved inefficient, as only a few newspapers had covered hte incident, and most of them had deemed ”fire breaks out in Niff District, four people dead” a sufficient amount of information. Scowling, Ignis logged onto the government servers and pulled out the same incident reports he had read earlier in Regis' office. There was nothing new there, nothing he hadn't already learned on the first read, yet Ignis couldn't shake the uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Why hadn't Prompto told him or Noctis the truth of what happened? He'd admitted to having survived a fire, so why go through the trouble of downplaying the incident by claiming the fire had been a small one when it had been anything but? Prompto was clearly afraid of something, but Ignis couldn't understand what. The most obvious answer to the riddle was that Prompto had somehow caused the fire, yet that was also the option Ignis scrapped right off the bat; the investigation clearly stated that the fire had started two floors above Prompto's apartment.

The report contained the blueprints to the full apartment complex and Ignis scrolled through the floors until he found what he knew was Prompto's address. If he'd been uncomfortable before, he now felt nothing but a despairing worry at the sight of the small apartment. Ignis followed the lines on his tablet screen with his finger, counting rooms and area in his mind. If _this_ was the secret Prompto didn't want told, then Ignis could certainly understand... but he would not let this be. _Could_ not let this be.

* * *

The school bell rang and people all but burst out of the doors. Ignis waited in the car and watched the crowds with a keen eye, spotting Prompto before he spotted Noctis. The two boys were laughing at something or other, Prompto draped over Noctis' shoulders while they pointed fingers at something on Noctis' phone screen. The sight of Noctis smiling so openly was one Ignis had come to appreciate with all his heart because he, if anyone, knew how rare it was.

Ignis sighed. Prompto's appearance had been like a gift from the Astrals; within weeks, he'd overthrown Noctis' nonchalances and inserted himself right in their lives. Over the passing time, Ignis had come to adore the silly boy who could make rainclouds disperse on the skies, and the sudden understanding that the same child was likely struggling in his own life did not settle well in his stomach.

”Good afternoon, Noctis, Prompto,” Ignis greeted the two boys when they stumbled into the backseat, still giggling. ”How was school today?”

”Noct fell asleep in chem again!” Prompto chirped cheerfully. ”Ow!”

”You weren't supposed to tell him!” Noctis hissed between his teeth. Despite the subject matter, Ignis found himself smiling at the duo of bickering teens. Chuckling slightly, he turned the car onto the road and drove off.

”What about _you_ , Iggy?” Prompto asked, leaning in through the gap between the front seats. ”Anything _gooooood_?”

Ignis hummed. Originally, he had intended to hold this conversation once they were all in the safety of Noctis' apartment, but with Prompto unintentionally leading towards the matter Ignis most wanted to discuss... Well, they were still inside four walls, with nowhere for Prompto to run to.

”Quite the opposite, actually,” Ignis said, stopping the car at a red light before carefully shoving Prompto back into his seat. ”Indeed, earlier today, I came by some news that left me very gross and upset.”

His words had Noctis sitting up in his seat. Ignis glanced at the rearview mirror and caught a glimpse of the nervous expression on his charge's face, but soon the lights flashed green and he had to turn his attention back to the road. They were moving through the beginnings of the rush hour, it seemed like, and the lights at the next intersection turned red before they even reached them.

”What's wrong, Specs?” Noctis asked.

”I had thought that I'd made it explicitly clear that I do not appreciate being lied to, yet,” Ignis answered, seeing the teens exchange a worried look in the mirror.

”Is this about the paints?” Prompto asked nervously. ”Because if it is–”

”What pai–”

Noctis cut Ignis off before he could finish. ” _Nothing_!” the teen cried out. ”Nothing. Um, absolutely nothing. So what's wrong?”

Ignis acknowledged the words with a hum – whatever the paint issue was, it probably wasn't anything too horrenduously bad – and drove off to the next intersection. ”Oh, no, I was merely thinking,” he said after stopping once more, ”that perhaps we ought to help Prompto revise his definition of a _small_ fire.”

His next glance at the rearview mirror rewarded him with an alarmed if confused Noctis and Prompto, whose entire face was whiter than usual and who had frozen still in his place. ”Um,” Prompto tried to murmur. ”Um.”

”What the heck?” Noctis asked, glancing between Prompto and Ignis. ”What's this about?”

”Language,” Ignis reprimanded, focusing on driving the car into the next intersection where they were once again met with orange lights turning red right before his eyes. ”But yes; imagine my surprise when I hear that what I was told was a small fire – just smoke, really, is that what you called it, Prompto? – a small fire, you say, yet–”

Ignis kept his gaze on the streetlights, waiting for them to change, so he didn't notice anything wrong until he heard the click or a seatbelt being opened. Noctis' yelp was almost covered by the sound of the car door slamming shut but by the time either of them had the time to react, Prompto was out of the door and running away from them, school bag tossed over his shoulder and blazer billowing in the wind.

” _Astrals curse me_ ,” Ignis spat, quickly engaging the child locks before Noctis could follow Prompto out of the car and into the streets. The lights were already green and as cars behind them honked, Ignis had no choice but to drive forward, unable to even turn down the street in the direction Prompto had run off to. ”I cannot _believe_ that boy!”

”Why'd you lock the doors!” Noctis yelled at him. ”What the hell is going on, Specs? Is this about that fire, what, two months ago?”

Ignis cursed himself once more before answering. ”Six weeks,” he ground, trying and failing to catch a glimpse of golden hair in the streets around them. ”Though Prompto claimed otherwise, the fire was actually a massive one. Four people were killed and at least the topmost floor, where the fire initially broke out, was rendered inhabitable.”

Glancing at the rearview mirror, Ignis saw Noctis eyeing him dubiously. ”I don't get it,” he said, slumping back into his seat. ”Why would he lie about something like that? And how'd you find out anyways?”

”Your father just granted Prompto the Royal Medal of Utmost Civilian Valor,” Ignis answered, smirking despite the sullen mood in the car. ”Prompto risked his life to save one of his elderly neighbors from burning to death.”

Silence fell over the two for a while. Ignis turned the car into one of the larger roads and sighed in relief once he left the cluster of intersecting roads behind. A swift glance at the mirror told him Noctis was still mulling over his previous words, phone in hand.

”You sound like you're mad at him, though,” Noctis said after a moment. ”And I don't – I still don't understand why he'd lie about something like that. I know he doesn't like being the center of attention, but, I dunno, I also don't hink he'd run off because we found out about him saving someone's life.”

Ignis hummed, wondering just how much of his suspicions he should reveal. ”I was the one to find him in your apartment that morning, I'm sure you remember,” he said at first. ”He was injured when saving the woman and though the medics administered first aid on-scene, he was still suffering from the after-effects of smoke inhalation. I heard him coughing and thought nothing of it, and now that I know better... I despair to think of what could have happened to Prompto.”

Noctis took a moment before speaking. ”Nothing happened, though,” he reminded. ”Prompto was fine afterwards. Maybe a bit jumpy and tired, yeah, but he was fine.”

”Indeed,” Ignis sighed. Logically he knew better than to mull over what-ifs but the emotional side of him, the one that had come to adore and appreciate Prompto, still managed to pull him into overthinking past events.

”Can we go see him?” Noctis asked after a moment, still fiddling with his phone. ”He's probably going straight home.”

Ignis continued to steer the car towards Noctis' apartment. ”No, I believe we should give him a moment to calm down first,” he said. ”And I think it would be best if I were to go see him alone, seeing as I am the one who upset him in the first place.”

Noctis hummed and when Ignis glanced up, he saw Noctis watching him. ”And you want to talk to him about whatever else you think is wrong with him.”

Ignis chuckled. ” _And_ I want to talk to him about certain other issues.”

Whatever was ahead of him and Prompto would not be an easy or a painless conversation to have. Worse yet, if Ignis' suspicions were correct and Prompto was indeed living on his own, then a simple discussion might not be enough to fix the situation.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Ignis shows up at Prompto's apartment and Prompto prepares for the worst.

Prompto looked up from his homework when he heard swift knocks echoing through his apartment and sighed, dread and anxiety instantly swelling in his chest. There was always a chance that it was one of his neighbors coming to him for this reason or that, yet after the events of a few hours earlier, Prompto doubted that was the case.

Standing up, he gave his apartment a quick look before stepping over to the door; though the place was cluttered, it was also on the tidier side of lived-in and that had to be enough to whoever was waiting for him in the hallway. Swallowing, Prompto opened the door, then closed it once more to remove the safety chain.

”Good evening, Prompto,” Ignis greeted him. ”If you have the time, I would like to apologize for earlier.”

Prompto sighed and moved aside to let Ignis into the apartment. ”Heyaz,” he murmured, grimacing when he spotted a stray sock near his closet; he hadn't noticed it earlier and hoped Ignis wouldn't see it either.

Sock or no sock, he knew what his place looked like. A living area with a small kitchenette in one corner and a sleeping alcove in the other. An overfilled bookshelf separated his bed from the rest of the apartment, which contained a couch, a small TV, and a two-person dining table with one lone chair.

Prompto knew what the apartment looked like. It wasn't a bad place, or an ugly one; it had been fully renovated before his parents bought it, and the matching pieces of furniture were still in great condition after only a few years of him using them. At the same time, there was only one door in the room – leading to a small bathroom – and no space for a second bed, which could only ever have meant one thing and one thing only.

This was Prompto's apartment, no-one else's.

”Can I, uh, can I get you something?” Prompto asked nervously, moving further into the apartment. ”I've got some teas in here? And water?”

Ignis shook his head. ”No, thank you.” He smiled, but it was a small, sad one, and Prompto felt pure anxiety at the sight of it. ”I wanted to tell you how sorry I was for upsetting you like that, but at the same time, there is one other issue I would like to discuss with you.”

Prompto swallowed. ”Yeah,” he said. His mouth felt dry. ”I figured.”

”Shall we sit down?” Ignis asked, glancing towards the dining table. Nodding, Prompto sat down on the edge of the sofa and left the only chair for Ignis to use. ”There is no easy way to ask this, so please forgive me my frankness, but Prompto... where are your parents?”

Prompto shrugged. ”Altissia, last I heard,” he said, not looking Ignis in the eye. ”Dad called me after the fire to make sure the apartment was still livable but we didn't talk much.”

”I see.” Ignis sounded like he was doing his best to fight a despairing sigh. ”And how long have they been gone?”

Now that was a question Prompto didn't want to answer. ”Two years, something like that,” he said all the same. It was getting difficult to count the time between then and now, though he remembered the exact day they'd dropped him here and that helped a lot. ”They call every now and then.”

”Do they, now,” Ignis said, then stopped to shake his head. ”Prompto, I–”

”I know, Iggy, it looks real bad,” Prompto cut in, trying to smile through his anxiety. ”But I'm doing pretty good, considering.”

Ignis sucked in his lips. ”I find that quite difficult to believe,” he said. ”There is a reason all children are to have a guardian watching after them, after all, and though I know you're quite capable of taking care of yourself, there will be a time when it won't be enough anymore. No child should ever be left alone, Prompto.”

Prompto drew in a breath and let it out slowly, watching the airflow toss his fringe in various direction. ”Yeah, that's the thing, I'm not alone,” he said, glancing at Ignis. ”This is the Niff District, Iggy. I've got people here. People like me.”

Ignis gave a small smile at that. Though he was an immigrant as well, he came from Tenebrae; while some Lucians still saw Tenebraeans as a bit silly foreigners, they faced none of the discrimination that Niffs saw on a near daily basis. For Prompto, living in the heart of the Niff District meant not only safety but a connection to something his parents had never been able to offer him: his past, his culture, his own personal being. He'd learned to speak Niff and prepare food best suited for the coldest nights of the Insomnian winter, and he loved it all.

”Your parents have abandoned you, Prompto,” Ignis spoke carefully but firmly. ”That is illegal and for a reason.”

Sighing, Prompto shrugged and kicked his heels against the soft dining area carpet. ”Yeah, but I'm still doing okay,” he repeated his earlier words, turning to look Ignis in the eye. ”I know you're supposed to, like, call CPS or whatever right now, so let's make this clear: if you do that, you will probably end up ruining my entire life, and I would never forgive you for that.”

If Ignis was angered over his words, he didn't show it, but Prompto still felt his previous bravado slip away from his tense shoulders. He continued before Ignis had the chance to speak: ”When we spoke on the phone, dad told me they'll transfer this place to my name when I turn 18. Until then, they'll pay all utilities and such, and even when they stop, I'll still have a place I won't have to pay rent for.” He waited for Ignis to nod before continuing. ”I don't like bragging but I'm a literal _genius_ , Iggy. I earned myself a scholarship to the best high school in the country and I _already_ have several universities fighting over the chance to have me. Yeah, you heard that right: _that's_ how good I am.”

”Your skills at mathematics _are_ quite impressive,” Ignis agreed, nodding. ”But, Prompto–”

”Let me finish, Iggy. So, I've got both housing and education figured out. I'm probably gonna go into engineering and I shouldn't have any troubles finding a job, not when we're still working so hard to catch up with the Empire's scientific achievements.”

”I have no doubts–”

”Let me _finish_ , Igs!” Prompto cut in. ”So I've got my future all planned out. If you call the CPS over this, you know what's gonna happen? I'm gonna lose this all, they're gonna but me in a home until they find me new parents, and guess what – that's not gonna happen. I'm a Niff. I'm fifteen. No-one's gonna want to foster me, not inside the Wall, and leaving is literally not an option. I'd rather run away. So.”

Ignis' lips were so thin they basically disappeared from his face, leaving behind only an expression of controlled anger. ”First of all,” he said, ”I do not appreciate you accusing me of trying to ruin your life when I am trying to do the opposite.”

Prompto shrugged, too tired and anxious to even care anymore. ”Yeah, but you're a law-abiding adult and I'm pretty much a broken law, so there's that.”

Ignis huffed in acknowledgement. ”Second: you are a _child_ , Prompto. You need a guardian.”

”Not if I'm sixteen, which I will be later this year,” Prompto answered readily, almost rolling his eyes. ”Half a year from now and I can just get my parents to sign some papers, and alakazam, everything will be perfectly legal 'cause I'll be emancipated.”

”That's still six months during which you will have no-one taking care of you,” Ignis said, his tone far more biting than Prompto had ever heard him before. ”Would I be correct in assuming that the reason you refused hospitalization after the fire was because of your parental situation? Or that it's also the reason why you aren't getting any treatments for your anxiety when you so obviously _should_ be doing so?”

Prompto could no longer sit still so he jumped onto his feet. ”The world's not a perfect place, Iggy!” he cried out, fighting the urge to yell the words. ”I'm doing fine. Right now, I'm the happiest I've ever been and yeah, there's some shit that could be better but personally, I've got nothing to complain about. I've got all I need.”

”Except for guardians,” Ignis sighed, plucking off his glasses to swipe a hand across his face. The earlier bite was gone from his tone, replaced by a dejected kind of sadness. Prompto hoped it meant he was winning the argument, yet at the same time, he knew it could mean the opposite as well.

”Except for guardians,” Prompto agreed, wandering back to perch on the sofa. ”But I'm doing just fine without them, I promise. Half a year, Iggy.”

Silent, Ignis buried his face in both hands. ”Do you even understand what you're asking of me?” He sighed and replaced his glasses. ”Child abandonment and neglect are forms of child abuse, and you want me to hold my tongue on the matter.”

Prompto tried to smile. ”I know, I know,” he placated. ”I'm sorry. But, Iggy, those five, six months won't be that long, really. Things will be better then.”

Ignis didn't speak. Prompto waited anxiously, his fears arising once more because he knew he really was asking a lot. As seconds ticked by, Prompto grew more and more sure that Ignis would respond with a shaking head and words that would forever destroy his life.

Eventually, Ignis spoke up. ”I will agree,” he began, and Prompto's heart leaped at his throat; ”on two conditions. First of all: if there is something wrong, you will call me. Whether you're sick or you've lost your keys and can't get in, you will let me know. Understood?”

Prompto nodded his head so quickly his head spun. ”Sure thing!” he chirped, willing to promise even though he doubted he'd be able to keep his word. Ignis raised an eyebrow, clearly doubting his words as well, but didn't comment on the matter further.

”Second,” Ignis continued, pausing until Prompto nodded; ”since I am _fairly_ sure you never had any kind of a check-up done after the fire, you will undergo a full physical examination to ensure your wellness. This _includes_ talking to a doctor about your anxiety.”

Though Ignis' words spread a sense of warmth tingling through Prompto's body – it was so nice, to have someone actually caring for him – he couldn't stop his body from trying to curl into itself. His shoulders slumped and he began fiddling with his fingers once again, but no matter how hard the pouted, Ignis kept his resolve.

”I don't understand how Noct can say no to that face,” Prompto tried to joke. Though his tone was a bit too wobbly for his liking, Ignis chuckled at him all the same, smiling kindly while adjusting his glasses.

”I know our association is mostly due to Noctis, but at the same time, I would like you to know that I do consider you an important friend, Prompto – not because of the friendship between you and His Highness, but because I enjoy having you around.” Ignis leaned against the table and smiled in a way that had the corners of his eyes crinkling.

”You too, Igs,” he murmured. His face felt warm but not in a bad way. ”You're a cool dude, too.”

Ignis laughed at that, and Prompto responsed with a grin that felt like he'd swallowed the sun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it! Massive thanks to everyone who kudoed/commented/etc, you're awesome and your support is very much appreciated <3 
> 
> Next up, an expansion on the chapter where Prompto saves Regis' life. After that, there's still one last piece coming to wrap things up, but I'm not 100% sure how soon I'll be writing it so no promises of anything yet :)

**Author's Note:**

> I'm @missymoth at tumblr :)


End file.
